


Sick or Treat

by pinkamour1588



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Halloween, Illnesses, M/M, Nerdy Jim, Romance, Sickfic, Trick or Treating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-04
Updated: 2017-10-04
Packaged: 2019-01-09 01:56:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12266532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkamour1588/pseuds/pinkamour1588
Summary: Leonard gets sick and can’t take Joanna trick or treating as promised.





	Sick or Treat

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Auduna_Druitt](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Auduna_Druitt/gifts).



Leonard was not woken up by his alarm clock, nor was he woken up by a seven-year-old. No, he was woken up by a coughing fit. When it was over, he groaned as he rolled onto his back and stared up the ceiling before beginning to mentally catalog his symptoms.

_Cough_

_Sore throat_

_Headache_

_Congestion_

_Fever?_

The last one he wasn’t entirely sure about. Maybe it was just a heatwave starting or something.

“Daddy!” Joanna said as she walked into the bedroom.

“Yes?”  _God, I even sound sick._

“I’m hungry.”

“Guess we should get some breakfast in you.” He slowly pushed himself out of bed.

“I want pancakes.”

“You’ll have to make do with cereal. I’m not feeling well enough to make pancakes,” he answered as he followed her to the kitchen.

Joanna frowned, then said, “Cocoa puffs, I guess.”

Leonard fixed her a bowl of cereal, avoiding touching the food as much as possible. While she ate, he made himself a cup of coffee in hopes that it would help clear up the headache.

~~~

It didn’t. Three hours later he was laying on the couch while Joanna watched some ridiculous show on tv.

“Daddy, we’re still going trick or treating tonight, right?” Joanna asked suddenly.

_Dammit._  “I don’t know, Jo. I’m still not feeling well.”

“But you promised we’d go this year ‘cause we didn’t last year ‘cause we were moving. And Auntie Ny made me my dress.”

“I know I promised and that she did that for you. But I don’t know if I’m gonna be feeling up to it.”

“Can’t you take medicine like you gave me when I was sick?”

Leonard smiled. “Unfortunately, no. We don’t have the type of cold medicine for me. And even if we did, that still wouldn’t mean I’d be feeling well enough to take you.”

“Can someone else?”

“I know that Aunt Ny and Uncle Spock are both busy.”

“What about Mr. Jim?”

He hesitated. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Jim with Joanna. He did. Regardless of how reckless his 22-year-old boyfriend could be at times, Leonard knew the Jim would take good care of her.

There were only two problems. One, he and Jim had only been dating three months and asking him to take Joanna trick or treating felt like a big favor to ask. Two was that he figured Jim had plans already. Whether said plans were studying or going to a party with his friends, Leonard wasn’t going to ask him to give those up.

“Please, Daddy. Can’t you just ask?”

“Bring me my phone,” he sighed.

Joanna jumped up and just about ran to the master bedroom before returning with his phone. She shoved it into his hand and watched as he selected Jim’s contact and called him.

“Happy Halloween, Bones!” Jim said cheerfully when he answered, then started laughing. “Ha! Bones. Halloween.”

“Yeah, yeah, very funny,” Leonard said rolling his eyes.

“Anyway, what’s up? You sound terrible.”

“I’m coming down with a cold. I was wondering if you could do me a favor. I promised Jo last Halloween that I would take her trick or treating but since I’m getting sick I can’t. So Jo was wondering if you could take her. I realize you…”

“I’ll do it! What time do I need to come over?”

“…probably have test to study for or a party to attend and I don’t want you to change your plans just because I asked and Jo can survive another year without…” Leonard stopped suddenly. “Wait, what?”

“I’ll take her trick or treating. What time?”

“You’re not giving up plans you already made?” Leonard asked hesitantly.

“I was going to go to a bar that’s having some sort of costume contest, but taking Jojo trick or treating sounds far more fun.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Now tell me what time I need to be there.”

“Seven.”

“I’ll see you two then! Do you need me to bring you anything?”

“If you have any cold medicine that isn’t for children, please bring that.”

“Will do!” Jim hung up and Leonard let out a sigh before setting his phone on the coffee table.

“So?” she asked insistently.

“He’ll be here at seven.”

“Thank you, Daddy!”

“Don’t thank me. Thank Jim when he gets here.”

~~~

After haphazardly made sandwiches for lunch, which Leonard really just supervised the making of, and helping Joanna get into her Belle costume far earlier than necessary, Leonard went back to laying on the couch. At a quarter to seven, there was a knock on the front door and he dragged himself off the couch to answer it. When he opened the door, he couldn’t help but laugh a little at the sight of Jim in a full Thor costume, all the way down to the hammer.

“You look awful,” Jim said when Leonard stepped aside to let him in.

“Feel it too. Thank you, by the way. I really appreciate it,” Leonard answered as he closed the door and followed Jim into the main room.

“It’s no problem. Really.”

“You had plans though.”

“Because I didn’t have anything better to do. You were going to be taking Jo trick or treating so I was going to find some other way to occupy myself. They weren’t particularly exciting plans.”

“Either way, thank you.” Leonard settled back down on the couch.

“I’d kiss you, but I don’t want to get sick.” Jim then straightened up and in the most serious tone he could manage said, “Now, where is the fair maiden I shall be escorting in her quest for candy?”

Leonard let out a noise that probably was meant to be a snort if he wasn’t so congested. “In her room.”

Jim nodded and walked off to Joanna’s bedroom. Leonard heard the two of them talking and Joanna thanking Jim over and over. Several minutes later, they walked out to the main room.

“Bones, we’re heading out now,” Jim said.

Leonard sat up and looked at the two of them. “Be safe. Joanna, stick with Jim. Do not wander off. Jim, bring her back in one piece and by 9 at the very latest. Preferably eight-thirty.”

“Got it,” Jim nodded.

“And have fun!” Leonard called after the two of them only to end up going into a coughing fit.

~

Eight-forty-five

Joanna was chattering away about all the candy she had gotten and the compliments she’d gotten on her costume as she and Jim walked into the house. The tv was still on but Leonard was nowhere to be seen.

“Can I have some of my candy tonight?” Joanna asked as she placed the pillowcase she’d used as a bag on the kitchen table.

“I think your dad would kill me if I let you do that. And I think you have enough energy without added sugar,” Jim answered with a laugh as he continued to scan what he could see of the house for any sign of Leonard. “Besides, I know for a fact that it’s time for you to go to bed.”

Joanna pouted.

“That may work on me sometimes, but it’s not going to work now.”

“Will you at least tuck me in?”

“Of course. Go get ready for bed while I try to find where your dad disappeared to.”

She nodded and he helped her unzip the back of her dress before shooing her off to her room. He took off his shoes and the wig he was wearing before walking down the hall toward Leonard’s bedroom, frowning when he saw the doctor wasn’t at least laying on the bed on top of the covers. Venturing further, he poked his head into the bathroom to find Leonard sprawled on the floor, asleep and using a wadded-up bath towel as a pillow. Deciding to leave him be for now, Jim walked out of the bedroom and waited in the hall for Joanna to finish brushing her teeth.

It took an almost obscene amount of time to get her to settle down enough in bed to fall asleep. After giving her a quick hug goodnight, he walked out of her room, turning the light off and closing the door. He went through Leonard’s dresser, pulling out two old t-shirts and two pairs of sweatpants. Jim changed out of his costume and into one of the shirts and sweatpants, setting the other two on the bed. Walking into the bathroom, he hesitated slightly wondering if he should just let Leonard sleep. With a small sigh he knelt down and gently shook Leonard awake.

Leonard groaned and peeked his eyes open, frowning. “Why’d you wake me up?”

“You’re laying on the bathroom floor,” Jim answered, pushing the sweaty strands of hair off Leonard’s forehead.

“It’s nice and cool on the floor.”

“It’s still gross. Now, come on, let’s get you to bed.” He stood and held his hands out to Leonard, helping pull him up onto his feet.

When Jim went to lead Leonard back into the bedroom, the brunette pulled away and leaned over the sink, vomiting. Jim dropped his hand in favor rubbing Leonard’s back instead.

“Another reason I was asleep on the bathroom floor,” Leonard mumbled as he filled a paper cup with water and rinsed his mouth.

“I’ll get you something to use as a barf bowl.” He patted Leonard’s shoulder before walking off in search of something. Eventually he settled on the trash can Leonard had been using for used tissues. Quickly tying the bag lining the trash can shut, he set it aside and got a new plastic bag to line it.

When he returned to the bedroom, he set the trash can next to the bed and found Leonard was in the exact same spot he’d left him in the bathroom.

“Think you can make it to bed without throwing up?” Jim asked.

Leonard nodded and walked into the bedroom, stripping down to his underwear and getting into bed.

Jim put the clean sweatpants and t-shirt back in their respective drawers, then asked, “Do you need anything else?”

“Basically everything I left in the other room,” Leonard mumbled.

“Be right back.” Jim walked out, returning a few minutes later with the box of tissues, refilled water bottle, and Leonard’s phone. He set the items on the nightstand, then looked at Leonard who was already half asleep.

***

When Leonard woke up the next morning, he felt quite possibly worse than he did the day before. But before he could start wallowing in self-pity, he remembered it was Monday. He looked at the time and started panicking. It was seven-forty-five. Joanna had school. She had to be at school in about half an hour and it took almost ten minutes to drive there. And knowing her, she wasn’t awake yet and would be very resistant to being woken up like always.

Leonard scrambled out of bed and to the kitchen. Then froze. Joanna was sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast and talking Jim’s ear off while he packed her lunch.

“And then Kira said that Michael was bugging her during class but he was just sitting behind her and doing his work,” Joanna said between bites of cereal, filling Jim in on all the second-grade gossip.

“Well, that wasn’t very nice of her,” Jim answered with a smile as he looked up from the sandwich he was making and over at her. He caught sight of Leonard standing in the doorway to the hallway and frowned a little. “Go back to bed, Bones. I’ve got this.”

But Leonard just stood frozen in place.

“That wasn’t a question,” Jim said as he put the sandwich in a plastic bag and put it in Joanna’s lunch box.

Leonard nodded and walked back to his room, in a bit of a daze. Jim had apparently stayed the night. Either that, or he took Leonard’s house keys and went back to his apartment then came back this morning. But based on Jim’s level of bedhead, he had definitely just stayed the night. And then he had made sure Joanna got out of bed and made her breakfast and was packing her lunch. He was letting her talk his ear off and was even encouraging it.

Leonard laid in bed listening closely to what was going on in the kitchen. Twenty minutes later, Jim poked his head into the bedroom.

“Hey, I’m gonna head out now and drop Jo off at school. Let me know if you need anything,” Jim said.

Leonard nodded and settled more comfortably in bed in hopes of falling back asleep.

~

He thankfully did, waking up again around ten. He got up and pulled on a pair of pajama pants, then shuffled out to the kitchen, restraining himself from making coffee and instead made tea. When he walked out of the kitchen and to the living room, he stopped abruptly at the sight of Jim sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table, a textbook laid out along with pages of notes. Jim was reading from the textbook intently and scribbling down notes, occasionally pausing and pushing his black framed glasses up his nose when they slipped.

“What are you doing here?” Leonard asked.

Jim jumped and looked over at him. “You’re sick. I figured I would stick around to take care of you,” he answered as if it were obvious.

“Don’t you have classes?”

“Just one today and I can watch the lecture online.”

Leonard sat down on the couch. “I am a grown man. I can take care of myself when I’m sick.”

“I can leave if you want. I just assumed you might appreciate it. But it’s fine. You’re right. You’re twenty-nine. You’re perfectly capable of taking care of yourself when you’re sick.” Jim started to gather up his papers.

“Stop. I just meant you shouldn’t be missing classes just because I’m sick and you feel like you have to take care of me.”

Jim paused and looked at Leonard. “So, I can stay and take care of you?”

Leonard smiled and nodded. “Haven’t had anyone do that since Joss and I were together.”

“That’s sad.”

“Is what it is,” Leonard shrugged.

Jim got up and went to the bedroom a few minutes later. He returned with the vomit trashcan, tissues, and the water bottle.

~

For the next hour and a half, Leonard went between drinking his tea or water, coughing, blowing his nose, vomiting once, reading, and just watching Jim. Watching the way Jim pushed his glasses up with the side of his hand. The way Jim’s eyebrows furrowed a little when he was reading something that he had to think about more before taking notes. The way he pressed his lips together as he thought about how to write a note.

“Take a picture. Lasts longer,” Jim said glancing up at Leonard with a small smile.

“Maybe I will,” Leonard answered a couple minutes later.

~

When Jim decided to take a break an hour later for lunch, he sat Leonard down at the kitchen table with a bowl of soup before making himself a sandwich. Unfortunately, the soup didn’t stay down very long. By one-thirty that afternoon, Leonard was kneeling in front of the toilet throwing up while Jim stood a few feet away, not willing to stand any closer in fear of vomiting himself.

“So much for soup,” Leonard groaned as he sat back wiping his mouth and nose with toilet paper and flushing.

“Well, it was a good try,” Jim shrugged.

~~~

That evening, Leonard was laying on the couch smiling to himself as he listened to Joanna helping Jim cook dinner. Thankfully, unlike his lunch, Leonard managed to hold his dinner down. After dinner, he watched from the couch as Jim sat next to Joanna and helped her with her math homework.

“See, you need this one to be the bigger number…” Jim said pointing to one of the subtraction problems.

“So I take one from here and add it to this one?” Joanna asked.

“Almost. You’re not going to add it. You’re just going to put a one next to it. Like this.” Jim wrote down a random equation on a piece of scratch paper and showed her.

She nodded and replicated what he had done on her homework.

“Exactly. Now can you remember what you do next?”

She thought for a moment then nodded and finished the problem. “Is it right?”

“Yep. Was that the last one?”

Joanna nodded as she put her homework away.

~

Once Joanna had gone to bed, Jim walked back out to the living room to find Leonard passed out on the couch snoring. He smiled and pulled out his phone, double checking his list before putting his shoes on, grabbing the keys, and leaving.

~

Leonard awoke around ten that evening to find the house free of Jim.  _Figures, the kid had to go back to his apartment at some point._ He slowly sat up with a sigh and stared off into space for a minute. At the sound of the front door being unlocked, he was wide awake in an instant. He felt around for his phone and watched the entryway closely when the front door opened.

“Hey, you’re awake,” Jim grinned as he set the grocery bags down on the kitchen table.

“Yeah…”

“You were out of milk. I took a picture of the empty carton so I’m pretty sure I got the right kind. I also got you Gatorade. Wasn’t sure what flavor you liked so I picked a few different ones. Except the red one. That one’s nasty when you’re sick. I also got a few kinds of soup. Oh, and some popsicles and ginger ale,” Jim said as he unpacked the groceries and put things away to the best of his ability.

“Thank you…You can just put the receipt on the fridge. I don’t think I have enough cash in wallet to pay you back right now. But I’ll do it asap.”

“What?” Jim looked over at him like he was crazy.

“Put the receipt on the fridge so I can know how much I owe you for the groceries.”

“No. You always pay for dinner when we eat out. Think of the groceries as my way of paying you back.”

“Jim, paying for dinner isn’t something you need to pay me back for. I do it because I want to.”

“And I bought groceries for you because  _I_ want to.”

“Just promise me you didn’t spend too much.”

“I promise. Now do you want a popsicle?”

“No, I want to sleep.” Leonard gathered up his things and walked toward his bedroom. He hesitated halfway down the hallway, then continued on. After setting everything down, he removed his t-shirt and sweatpants and got into bed.

Then just laid there wide-awake thinking over the past two days. Jim had slept on the couch last night. He’d hung around the house all day with Leonard, except for when Jim was picking up or dropping off Joanna at school. He’d gone grocery shopping because he had noticed Leonard and Joanna were out of milk. Something that could’ve waited until Leonard was feeling better. And he’d bought more than just milk, then proceeded to refuse to be paid back.

Leonard’s mind shifted over to Jim with Joanna. No one that Leonard had dated since the divorce had showed that level of interest in being a part of Joanna’s life. Hell, Jocelyn didn’t even have that much interest seeing as she walked out on them four years ago. And all of them were within two years of Leonard’s age. But Jim…Jim the twenty-two-year-old astronomy nerd and history major actually did. Jim who should be more interested in going to bars with friends than spending time with a twenty-nine-year-old divorcé and his seven-year-old daughter. Jim who should be spending his time studying for exams rather than spending his time helping a seven-year-old learn basic addition and subtraction. Jim who should be spending his spare cash on alcohol rather than on 1% milk. Jim who should be sleeping in his own bed and not on the sofa at his boyfriend’s house. Jim who shouldn’t be sleeping on the sofa, period.

Leonard sighed and got out of bed, padding out to the living room. “Jim,” he said from the entrance to the room.

Jim turned around from where he was making a bed for himself on the couch. “Thought you were going to sleep.”

“Come to bed with me.”

“What? No. You’re sick and up until this very second you’ve said you’re not ready for us to have sex.”

Leonard rolled his eyes. “To sleep. Come to bed with me to sleep. It’ll be more comfortable than the couch.”

Jim walked closer and looked at Leonard thoughtfully. “Are you sure? Not the whole it being more comfortable than the couch, but the being ok with us sleeping together. You always said you wanted to take things slow.”

“Yes, I’m sure. Now come on.” He started walking back toward his bedroom, looking over his shoulder to see Jim hesitate for another moment before following him.

They settled in on opposite sides of the bed and Jim smiled over at Leonard, already looking relaxed and sleepy. The blonde fell asleep surprisingly fast while Leonard continued to lie awake watching him thoughtfully before beginning to make a mental list.

_One, Jim picked you out of everyone he could’ve chosen._

_Two, he enjoys spending time with you._

_Three, you enjoy spending time with him._

_Four, he enjoys spending time with Joanna._

_Five, Joanna likes him._

Leonard blinked a few times as he thought it over.

_Six…_

“I love you, Jim,” Leonard whispered before closing his eyes.

“I love you too, Bones,” Jim answered softly.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on [tumblr](http://pinkamour1588.tumblr.com)


End file.
